The first thing I need to say is….get ready. Over the next two weeks I will be posting over twenty video interviews that I’ve done at this year’s Sundance. I’ve interviewed tons and tons of great people and once I get back to Los Angeles they’ll all be online.

Anyway, earlier today I did my second interview with Sam Rockwell here at the Sundance Film Festival. A few days ago I spoke with him about “Moon”, and today we talked about his other movie “The Winning Season” (which was just bought by Lionsgate).

When we spoke a few days ago, after our interview ended, we spent a few minutes talking about “Iron Man 2”. I told him how fandom was incredibly excited that he’d been offered a role and that with actors of his caliber, the second movie could be better than the first. He seemed really excited to hear what I said and we chatted a bit more about superhero movies.

Cut to today.

After our interview ended, we again spoke about “Iron Man 2”. I told him how that I’d told some of my friends who run other websites about our “Iron Man” conversation and how they confirmed their excitement at his casting. Again he seemed really happy that I was so excited, and then he told me the news.

While reports of his casting were all over cyberspace and the trades last week, he told me that he’d only just signed on to do the movie and now it was official. He said this kind of stuff happens all the time and he was surprised when the article went online last week.

After that news we chatted a bit more and he confirmed he’d be playing Justin Hammer. Since I haven’t read an “Iron Man” comic in years, I asked if Justin was the American industrialist who goes against Tony Stark. Sam said he thought his character was British…

But the best part of our conversation was when he asked me if there were any comic book stores in Park City…as he wanted to read some Iron Man comic books that had his character. I told him Park City didn’t have any as far as I knew…but when he got back to New York he should walk into any comic book store and they’d give him anything he needed. He sort of laughed when I said they’d give him the comics…but I meant it. If I worked in a comic book store and the guy who’d be playing a major role in an upcoming comic book movie came in looking for material to study…I’d give him anything he wanted.

But maybe that’s just me.

And for more info on Justin Hammer….here’s what Marvel has on it’s website.

When Stark International finally abandoned the manufacture of weapons and arms technology, many of Tony Stark’s competitors were happy to take its place. None was so successful, however, as Hammer Industries, led by the unscrupulous and ruthless Justin Hammer, and it quickly became the world’s leading weapons supplier.

For years, Justin Hammer successfully maintained a front as a reclusive billionaire overseeing various international business interests, legal and otherwise. Hammer headed dozens of international design and manufacturing firms around the world, but, despite his many illegal activities, he avoided any trouble with the authorities by diversifying his interests.

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